Embedded systems project

Second year project... which ends with our ROBOT RACE DAY!

This project integrates two important aspects of modern electronics, namely computer engineering and software engineering. During the second year students work in a team to produce a robot design that will follow a white line, climb a ramp and stop at the end - in the fastest time possible.

The challenge starts at the begining of Year 2 and builds up to the race day at the end of term. You will use a microcontroller development system and work in teams of four or five to create you robot.

2015 race day

On Friday 1 May 2015 students and staff filled a lecture theatre in the Renolds Building for the final day of the embedded systems project.

230 students, making up 48 teams, had taken part in heats throughout the week. Now the final 12 teams were ready to see whose autonomous line-following buggy could complete the course in the shortest possible time.

Prizes for best proposal, innovation, second place and minimum sensors were awarded by the Registrar of the University of Manchester. The First Prize, for the fastest buggy was awarded by Hima-Sella.

The winners were team 46 with a time of 19.5s.

Special mentions go to Group 27 who completed the heats with a single line sensor, and Group 12, who used careful characterisation and curve-fitting to enhance the discrimination of their sensor array.